We want a one–stop tax payment system - Upper East Cattle Dealers

Bolgatanga, Dec. 18, GNA - The Bolgatanga Cattle Dealers Association (BOCADA) has called on government to intervene to ensure that they pay “a one–stop tax payment system” in transporting their cattle to the southern sector.

Members of BOCADA in a petition read by their Financial Secretary, Mr Adabre Ayimbire and presented to the Upper East Deputy Regional Minister, Mrs Lucy Awuni, said that the multiple barriers and taxes charged on their cattle when transporting it to the south was affecting their businesses.

According to the Cattle Dealers, there were 36 barriers made up of 23 police, six CEPS and seven MTTU from Paga to Kumasi and each barrier charged between Gh¢10 to Gh¢30 with or without proper documentations.

The members said under the law, they are expected to pay for only veterinary services, Income Tax and Assembly charges.

“It is however sad to note that all these barriers take between GH¢10 to GH¢30 from our members when transporting cattle to the southern parts of Ghana. It is also more frustrating to note that the barriers in the Upper East and Northern Regions take more money from our members than the few barriers in the south”.

They stated that the practice did not only reduce their income but also led to deaths of the animals on the way due to delays and that the delay in movement hinders the ability to make more trips.

“It further promotes cheating, bribery and corruptions as there are no fixed charges and no official receipts. The government also loses revenue due to the absence of proper documentation” the association noted.

The Members of BOCADA indicated that the cattle business employed about 5,000 people in the Region this year alone and that with the multiple barriers and taxes it could throw a lot of people in the Region out of the cattle business since they could not make profit.

The Deputy Regional Minister assured the Cattle Dealers that the Regional Coordinating Council would convey a stakeholders meeting involving them, the leadership of the Police and the CEPS to dialogue in order to deal with the problem.

She however warned the Cattle dealers to ensure that they did not get themselves into under-invoicing of their animals and to also adhere strictly to rules and regulation in their trade to avoid being embarrassed.

Members of BOCADA after the submission of the Petition to the Deputy Minister held a press conference to make public research findings conducted by a Service Provider of the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge (BUSAC) Fund.

It established that majority of the youth in the Region who had not been to school were engaged in the Cattle trade and if care was not taken the multiple barriers and the corrupt tax system could collapse the cattle business.

The Research findings also confirmed the fact that there were lots of barriers and exploitation of the cattle dealers by some unscrupulous security personnel adding that the necessary documents that cattle dealers needed to have before transporting cattle included Vehicle worthy certificate, driver licenses, veterinary slip, Income Tax receipts and Council receipts.

It said the security men are also expected to ensure that animals were not smuggled, overloaded as well as check under invoicing.

Mr Richard Ananga, a BUSAC Service Provider in the Upper East Region, said the research, the press conference and the facilitation of the BOCAD petition was done with the support from the BUSAC fund which aimed at supporting the growth of the business environment especially the small scale business sector.